Proposer Product Accessibility Statement and Documentation

Purpose of Accessibility Statement

An effective Accessibility Statement includes several key components including:

  • A clear statement of commitment to ensuring equal access for all users
  • Required written documentation on the level of conformance with THEC/TBR accessibility standards
  • Information for users with disabilities regarding product/service accessibility features and gaps
  • A mechanism to allows users to provide accessibility feedback
  • Links to resources (internal or external) that provide additional or related information

Key Components

Commitment Statement

  • Emphasize commitment to ensuring the accessibility of the product/service.
  • Note any ongoing efforts to monitor for and remediate accessibility issues as they are identified.

Required Documentation

  1. Provide written documentation on
  2. how the product/service meets the THEC/TBR accessibility standards,
  3. WCAG 2.0 A&AA Guidelines/ISO/IEC 40500:2012
  4. 508 Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)
  5. And EPUB3 Accessibility Guidelines (if applicable)
  6. any available accessibility testing results
  7. List any third-party agencies with whom user have worked to evaluate accessibility support
  8. Describe any formal testing process user use to determine accessibility support
  9. Indicate if user conduct user testing with persons with disabilities to verify accessibility support
  10. and include the Conformance and Remediation Form when standards conformance is not fully achieved to demonstrate Proposer’s planned roadmap to full conformance.
  11. Provide links to any other internal accessibility documentation (e.g., accessibility information within general product documentation, FAQs, best practices, tutorials, case studies, or white papers).
  12. Note any other best practices or guidelines utilized during design and development (if applicable).

Product Usage Information for Users with Disabilities

  • Describe any product features that may improve accessibility for users with disabilities including:
  • Accessibility-specific features (e.g. the ability to adjust font size and color/contrast settings for text or the availability of closed captions for videos)
  • General product features that may especially benefit users with disabilities (e.g. an ‘HTML 5’ mode optimized for mobile platforms that also improves keyboard-only navigation).
  • Describe any high-impact product accessibility gaps along with suggested interim workarounds that allow users to complete key tasks until the gaps are resolved. For example, if a technical support website isn’t compatible with screen readers used by the blind, appropriate interim workarounds might include:
  • Alternative business processes that bypass the accessibility barrier (e.g. providing phone-based support until the web-based support site is accessible)
  • Use of a third-party product to replace or supplement inaccessible product functions (e.g. indicating that users may submit or check the status of technical support tickets via email).
  • Describe accessibility features provided by user communication channels (e.g. a deaf or hard-of-hearing user may contact user via a TTY line or access support personnel familiar with telephone relay services).

Feedback Mechanism

  • Indicate whether user have specific resources devoted to handling accessibility questions/concerns and provide the contact information for these resources.
  • Provide a specific mechanism for users to contact in order to:
  • Request accessibility-related assistance
  • Report accessibility problems
  • Request information in accessible alternate formats

Implementation Recommendations

Ensure that the Accessibility Statement is Easily Located on Company Website.

  • Provide a hyperlink that points to the Accessibility Statement and meets the following criteria:
  • Descriptive (e.g. ‘Accessibility’ or ‘Disability Access’)
  • Prominently positioned (e.g. on the landing page, help/support page, and/or site map)
  • Easily identified (e.g. adequate text size and color/contrast, not the last link in a complex page)

Keep the Information in the Accessibility Statement and Documentation Current.

  • Since accessibility support changes over time due to product updates, accessibility evaluations, and remediation activities, regularly review and update the Accessibility Statement so it remains up-to-date.
  • Include a revision date for the Accessibility Statement so end users know whether the information is current.

Direct any questions or comments to the institutional Accessibility Liaison (insert email address).